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By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer
July 4, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Clemens was picked for his first NL All-Star team Sunday and Mike Piazza was elected by fans to start the July 13 game in Houston, putting the Rocket in line to throw the opening pitch to his nemesis.
Clemens, a nine-time All-Star in the American League, was among five starting pitchers voted to the National League team by major league players, managers and coaches. With a 10-2 record in his first season with his hometown Astros, Clemens is likely to start for the NL.
Piazza, in what is likely to be his final All-Star appearance as a catcher, was elected to start for the 10th time, his 11th All-Star selection overall. He's caught just 34 games for the New York Mets this season and played first base in 37.
``We both have a job to do. I'm sure it will be totally professional,'' Piazza said. ``I don't think it's going to be that hard. We're two guys who know what to do.''
Clemens, then with the Yankees, beaned Piazza in July 2000. In Game 2 of the World Series that October, he threw the jagged barrel of a shattered bat in the direction of Piazza, earning a $50,000 fine.
``It's not that a big deal. It's definitely not larger than the game, unless you all make it that,'' the 41-year-old Clemens told reporters in Houston. ``I'm not too concerned about that. I'm professional about my work and so is Mike.''
There was just one change among starters in the final week of fan voting, with Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki overtaking the Yankees' Hideki Matsui for the final AL outfield spot.
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa were elected to start in the NL outfield, the first time three players with 500 home runs will start. Griffey is going to the All-Star game for the first time since 2000, which was his 11th straight selection.
Carlos Beltran, traded from Kansas City to Houston last month, was voted an AL reserve, his first All-Star selection, but the deal means he can't play in the game unless he's added to the NL team as a replacement.
Six members of the AL champion Yankees were picked, including three elected to start in the infield. Derek Jeter was voted to his first start at shortstop, Jason Giambi to his third at first base and Alex Rodriguez to his first at third base following six starts at shortstop. They will be joined by outfielder Gary Sheffield and relievers Mariano Rivera and Tom Gordon.
Alfonso Soriano, traded from the Yankees to Texas in February for Rodriguez, was elected to start at second and received the most votes in either league, 3.47 million.
Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with Detroit, was elected to his 10th All-Star start at catcher.
Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero and Boston's Manny Ramirez were voted to start in the outfield along with Suzuki, who trailed Matsui by 57,000 votes a week ago. Suzuki finished third by 36,000 -- while Matsui was 6,000 ahead in online voting, Suzuki was ahead by a wide margin in ballots cast at ballparks.
Three St. Louis Cardinals infielders were elected to start for the NL: Third baseman Scott Rolen was the top NL vote-getter at 3.19 million and was joined by first baseman Albert Pujols and shortstop Edgar Renteria, who finished 214,000 votes ahead of Houston's Adam Everett. Last week, Renteria led by just six votes.
Bonds was voted to his 13th All-Star team and 11th start. Griffey is a 12-time All-Star, elected to start in all of them.
Oakland's Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder were voted by the players, managers and coaches to the AL team as starting pitchers along with Boston's Curt Schilling, Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia and Texas' Kenny Rogers. The Yankees' Mariano Rivera, Anaheim's Francisco Rodriguez and Texas' Francisco Cordero were elected as relievers.
Voted on as reserves were Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez, Boston first baseman David Ortiz, Cleveland second baseman Ronnie Belliard, Texas third baseman Hank Blalock and shortstop Michael Young, and outfielders Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay and Sheffield.
The Yankees' Joe Torre, the AL manager, picked Detroit shortstop Carlos Guillen, Kansas City first baseman Ken Harvey and Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada as reserves and added four pitchers: Gordon, Toronto's Ted Lilly, Chicago's Esteban Loaiza and Minnesota's Joe Nathan.
Joining Clemens among the NL starters are the Mets' Tom Glavine, Arizona's Randy Johnson, San Francisco's Jason Schmidt, the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. The relievers are Los Angeles' Eric Gagne, Cincinnati's Danny Graves and Florida's Armando Benitez.
Elected as reserves were Atlanta catcher Johnny Estrada, Cincinnati first baseman Sean Casey, San Diego second baseman Mark Loretta, Florida third baseman Mike Lowell, Pittsburgh shortstop Jack Wilson, Houston outfielder Lance Berkman, Cubs outfielder Moises Alou and Florida outfielder Miguel Cabrera.
The reserves selected by Florida's Jack McKeon, the NL manager, were Philadelphia first baseman Jim Thome, Colorado first baseman Todd Helton, Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin, Montreal starter Livan Hernandez, Florida starter Carl Pavano, and Milwaukee pitchers Ben Sheets and Dan Kolb.
Among those left off were Cincinnati's Adam Dunn, second in the NL with 24 homers, and Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre, fourth with 21. Baltimore's Melvin Mora, batting .347 but nursing a hamstring injury, also was left off.
July 4, 2004
NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Clemens was picked for his first NL All-Star team Sunday and Mike Piazza was elected by fans to start the July 13 game in Houston, putting the Rocket in line to throw the opening pitch to his nemesis.
Clemens, a nine-time All-Star in the American League, was among five starting pitchers voted to the National League team by major league players, managers and coaches. With a 10-2 record in his first season with his hometown Astros, Clemens is likely to start for the NL.
Piazza, in what is likely to be his final All-Star appearance as a catcher, was elected to start for the 10th time, his 11th All-Star selection overall. He's caught just 34 games for the New York Mets this season and played first base in 37.
``We both have a job to do. I'm sure it will be totally professional,'' Piazza said. ``I don't think it's going to be that hard. We're two guys who know what to do.''
Clemens, then with the Yankees, beaned Piazza in July 2000. In Game 2 of the World Series that October, he threw the jagged barrel of a shattered bat in the direction of Piazza, earning a $50,000 fine.
``It's not that a big deal. It's definitely not larger than the game, unless you all make it that,'' the 41-year-old Clemens told reporters in Houston. ``I'm not too concerned about that. I'm professional about my work and so is Mike.''
There was just one change among starters in the final week of fan voting, with Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki overtaking the Yankees' Hideki Matsui for the final AL outfield spot.
Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sammy Sosa were elected to start in the NL outfield, the first time three players with 500 home runs will start. Griffey is going to the All-Star game for the first time since 2000, which was his 11th straight selection.
Carlos Beltran, traded from Kansas City to Houston last month, was voted an AL reserve, his first All-Star selection, but the deal means he can't play in the game unless he's added to the NL team as a replacement.
Six members of the AL champion Yankees were picked, including three elected to start in the infield. Derek Jeter was voted to his first start at shortstop, Jason Giambi to his third at first base and Alex Rodriguez to his first at third base following six starts at shortstop. They will be joined by outfielder Gary Sheffield and relievers Mariano Rivera and Tom Gordon.
Alfonso Soriano, traded from the Yankees to Texas in February for Rodriguez, was elected to start at second and received the most votes in either league, 3.47 million.
Ivan Rodriguez, in his first season with Detroit, was elected to his 10th All-Star start at catcher.
Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero and Boston's Manny Ramirez were voted to start in the outfield along with Suzuki, who trailed Matsui by 57,000 votes a week ago. Suzuki finished third by 36,000 -- while Matsui was 6,000 ahead in online voting, Suzuki was ahead by a wide margin in ballots cast at ballparks.
Three St. Louis Cardinals infielders were elected to start for the NL: Third baseman Scott Rolen was the top NL vote-getter at 3.19 million and was joined by first baseman Albert Pujols and shortstop Edgar Renteria, who finished 214,000 votes ahead of Houston's Adam Everett. Last week, Renteria led by just six votes.
Bonds was voted to his 13th All-Star team and 11th start. Griffey is a 12-time All-Star, elected to start in all of them.
Oakland's Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder were voted by the players, managers and coaches to the AL team as starting pitchers along with Boston's Curt Schilling, Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia and Texas' Kenny Rogers. The Yankees' Mariano Rivera, Anaheim's Francisco Rodriguez and Texas' Francisco Cordero were elected as relievers.
Voted on as reserves were Cleveland catcher Victor Martinez, Boston first baseman David Ortiz, Cleveland second baseman Ronnie Belliard, Texas third baseman Hank Blalock and shortstop Michael Young, and outfielders Carl Crawford of Tampa Bay and Sheffield.
The Yankees' Joe Torre, the AL manager, picked Detroit shortstop Carlos Guillen, Kansas City first baseman Ken Harvey and Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada as reserves and added four pitchers: Gordon, Toronto's Ted Lilly, Chicago's Esteban Loaiza and Minnesota's Joe Nathan.
Joining Clemens among the NL starters are the Mets' Tom Glavine, Arizona's Randy Johnson, San Francisco's Jason Schmidt, the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. The relievers are Los Angeles' Eric Gagne, Cincinnati's Danny Graves and Florida's Armando Benitez.
Elected as reserves were Atlanta catcher Johnny Estrada, Cincinnati first baseman Sean Casey, San Diego second baseman Mark Loretta, Florida third baseman Mike Lowell, Pittsburgh shortstop Jack Wilson, Houston outfielder Lance Berkman, Cubs outfielder Moises Alou and Florida outfielder Miguel Cabrera.
The reserves selected by Florida's Jack McKeon, the NL manager, were Philadelphia first baseman Jim Thome, Colorado first baseman Todd Helton, Cincinnati shortstop Barry Larkin, Montreal starter Livan Hernandez, Florida starter Carl Pavano, and Milwaukee pitchers Ben Sheets and Dan Kolb.
Among those left off were Cincinnati's Adam Dunn, second in the NL with 24 homers, and Los Angeles' Adrian Beltre, fourth with 21. Baltimore's Melvin Mora, batting .347 but nursing a hamstring injury, also was left off.
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